Spartans Picked to Repeat as MEAC Football Champions

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Staff Report

College Sports Journal

 

NORFOLK, Va. – Last season, the Norfolk State football team had the element of surprise on its side. Picked to finish fifth in the preseason Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference poll, the Spartans proceeded to win their first-ever MEAC title.

The Spartans won’t have the luxury of surprise this season. NSU topped the preseason MEAC poll with 11 first-place votes and 454 total points, and six Spartans were named to the preseason All-MEAC team as announced Friday at the conference’s media day in downtown Norfolk.

NSU was one of six teams to receive first-place votes in the poll. South Carolina State received four first-place votes and 432 points to finish second behind NSU. Bethune-Cookman (three, 417) was third in the poll, followed by Florida A&M (two, 354) and Hampton (one, 268) to round out the top five.

Rounding out the rest of the preseason poll were North Carolina A&T, Morgan State, Howard, North Carolina Central, Delaware State and Savannah State, which received the only other first-place vote.

MEAC Preseason Poll
(First place votes in parentheses followed by total points)

1. Norfolk State (11)  454

2. South Carolina State (4) 432

3. Bethune-Cookman (3) 417

4. Florida A&M (2) 354

5. Hampton (1) 268

6. North Carolina A&T 216

7. Morgan State 198

8. Howard  188

9. North Carolina Central 116

10. Delaware State 78

11. Savannah State (1) 73